Autonomous driving technology firm Waymo has announced plans to roll out a software update for its fleet of self-driving taxis. This update aims to empower the vehicles to make more confident decisions at intersections when traffic signals malfunction due to citywide power outages. Last Saturday, a massive power cut swept through San Francisco, leaving numerous Waymo self-driving taxis stranded or even incapacitated at intersections, which subsequently caused widespread traffic disruption.

In a blog post released on Tuesday, Waymo clarified that although its autonomous driving system is capable of managing intersections with non-operational traffic signals, the power outage led to a surge in vehicles simultaneously seeking confirmation checks. This influx resulted in delayed responses and further intensified traffic congestion.

Waymo has committed to applying the insights gained from this incident to refine its emergency response protocols. Additionally, the company will implement a fleet-wide software update to equip vehicles with knowledge about specific power outage scenarios, thereby bolstering their ability to make informed navigational decisions.

At present, Waymo has reinstated its services in the San Francisco Bay Area and is maintaining close collaboration with the city government to further optimize its system.